Outlet-box.



N. MARSHALL.

oUTIBT 30X. APPLIOAIION FILEDy (5017.31, 1908.

Patented Apr. y19, 1910.

UNITED STATSJTENT OFFICE.

NORMAN MARSHALL, OF NEWTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE-ASSIGN- MENTS, To ARROW' ELECTRIC CCMPAN RATION oF CONNECTICUT.

Application nametone: s1', 199s. semi No. 460,494..-

To all whom it may-comm:

Be it'known that I, NORMANMAMHALL, citizen of the United States, residing 'at Newton, 'in the county of Middlesex und State of Massachusetts, have invented Cer tain new and useful Improvements in Outlet-Boxes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descri tion of the invention, s uchas will enab e others skilled in the art to which it"'apper tains tomalre and use the same.

TheV invention relates'to outlet boxes such as are used in connection with interior con- .duit systems for electric wiring, and more 15 vespecially to outlet boxes which are adapted foin-su portin switches, rosettes and analo` f gous e ectric tting's.

Electric fittings of the class referred to are' usually provided with basesl of varying diarneters, and are secured in'position by securlngscrews arranged on diametrically Opf posite sides ofY the base, the spacing of these securing screws varying in dierent Sizes and types of fittings.

' 25` I t is oneobject of the present inventionto f prov-ide anoutlet box 'to which fittings of various typesandsizesmay be readily and conveniently secured; y

' A;'furthe i 'ect isto-prOvide--for locating the fittin',g or.,v evice connected with the outlet 'box in 'anydesired positi'oiiwith relation 'ttlie outlet'box or' the pige' end Q1 Conf ductor to.-.which it issecured. j .r 'Io theseeridson'e feature of the invention further feature of ces to which the seiittings are connected4 F110-bed and arranged" that .they nterli'g,= 'that is to say, they are' r rt i mliintainedat all times inproper relation to centeif ther/connectedkture upon the outlet l 'lihisselfcenterin action is prefer# idbj'tnlfei ing ythe plates that common center.

employ in embo `in 'its preferred form.l

' of an outlet box emb inventio'm Fig; y2 is a sectional view on l1ne '2-'2,' Fig.- l, Fig. 3 is a sectional vleW on line 3'-3, Fig. '2, looking toward the left;.

, The outlet bex' shown-iii.'

the'adjustment of one is accompanied by)l Corresponding adjustment of the other, while the polnts of connection with the fittin are maintained at equal distances from an on diametrically opposite sides of a The connectingdeviceswhich I'prefer to ying these features of the invention a-simple and eflicient construction consistof plates which are pivoted to the to or cover of the outlet box, and are -provi ed with screw threaded holes for receiving the securing screws of afitting The means for Connecting' the plates so that theyT are simultaneouslyadjusted andA are rendered self centering which I prefer to employ consists of a link `connecting theplates and acting to maintain the scref threaded -holes therein on. diametric' all ,7

Aopposite sides-of the center of the outlet-box,

and at equal distances therefrom, whatever the adjustment of the lates. a

Further featureso the invention relate Y, or HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, a Conro- Speqiqation of Letters Patent. Patented Apul 19,A 1910;

to the means for securing the cover of an outlet box to the top o r open side so that it` may be readily secured in :any desired-position upon the box, and still further features relate to the means for varying the size of the opening through the cover of an outlet box to-.suit different' diameters'fof fittin S which it'may be desired to secure upon` `ecover. The various features of the lnventlon will be readily understood from an 111s action of the accompanying drawings, 1n w ich an outlet box is shown embodyingthe invent-ionl In the drawings' Fi ure l-is a 'plan View ying one form of the Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view 'en line, 4-4, Fi l; and Fig. 5 is a detail 'sectional View Online vff-Fig. 1. i

the drawingsconsists of'a casing 11 drawnup from sheet metal, and is tures 3 throug which'the electr-1c con uctors' may enter the box, and in' which. the dgyies for securing the' 'box to -the ende-- f may be loca osedbyremove le plugs 4; 'any'nf -ar wieh may be 'removed to provide an apet- .ture It the desired pointb'n the box.

rovided. withseve'ral a er- These apertures may be employed in securin different types of covers in place upon the ox.

The cover shown in the drawings is constructed to support any oi the various sizes of switches, rosettes and similar fittings whichare commonly manufactured and ut upon the market, Iand embodies various ea tures ofthe invention' in their preferred `4forms.` This cover consists of a plate 5 whchxs provided With tWQeccent-.r Clampi- `plates These plates' are connected with" the 'cover plate' byy screws P(,'andfare sol shaped that theyv may be rturned in position iange in ap lying the 'cover to the box, and may' theea ter be swung under and drawn lirmly against the fiangerby turning lthe screws 7. In screws tightly 1n the threaded holes in the clamping plates, so that the plates will turn with the screws, and less resistance is of fered to the turning of the plates. I also prefer to so construct theplates that when they are swung under the {iange they will project sufficiently -from the.A screwsl 7 to strike against the walls of the box, so that the turning of the plates will be arrested. In applyingthecoverto the box, the clamping p ates are turned into position so that they vwill pass throughthe opening within th Han e, Aand the cover is turned'until it isfbroug t into the desired position with relation' to` the 'boxer to the pipes with lwhich 4'5 the boi: is connected. yThe screws 7 are' then turned, swingingfthe vplates 6 under the` flan e until the plates strike'the walls of the ox, when further turning of the screws draws' the plates rruly against the fiange, 'thusI-clamplng theA cover 1n adjusted position.' By thus adjustably mounting the cover upon the.box,the cover may be secured v in position to bring the. switch, rosette or "sof om the ,cover into. proper posi-tion,l what.-

'p tion oft 'it la 'Ir ed 'ffwitlif' al substantially circular central 'opening Sthrough which the conductors niayleadt'o thefittlng, "and through which the securing-screws may pass fin attaching the to pass through .the opening within thev ractice I prefer'to it the (firthentting connected with orsuspended v. wltlip.,twov segmental ,knockf size lfswitchf or rose e.

screws. The connecting devices for receiving the securing screws of the fittings comprise two connecting plates 9 which are pivotally mounted upon the under side of the cover 5, preferably in the manner shown in Fig. 4. As here shown7 the pivot 10 of the connecting -late is formed by punching out a portion o f the metal 'of the plate, and the plate is retained in the cover by spreading the upper end of the pivot so that it lies within an annular enlargement at the upper end 'of the hole 11 within which the pivot 10 turns. The free end of each connecting plate is provided with a screw threaded hole 12 adapted to receive the'securing screw of an electric fitting. The plates are so arrangedthat the holes 12 lie within the opening 8 so that the securing screws niayfdoe readily introduced therein. The plates 9 areconnected by a link 13, so that the plates when adjusted will be moved uniformly in 4opj'nosite directions, and in such manner that the line connecting the centersvof the holes 12 will pass through a `common center 14e whatever the adjustmentof the plates7 and the holes will also be at equal distances from the center. The plates are thus self centering, and are always maintained in such relation that they will properly support. andv center the fit-ting secured thereto, whatever the spacing of the securing screws of the fixture.

The opening 8 through which the securing 'screws pass into the connecting plates i) should be of such size that it will be coinpletely covered by the base of the switch or rosette when it is secured in position upon the outlet box. The opening should also be large enough so that the connecting plates may be adjusted to bring the screw 'holes in the connecting plates far enough apart to accommodate the securing screws of the largest sizes of rosettes and switches. There is such a variation in ythe sizes` between the largest and smallest sizes of rosettes. and switches as manufactured that i-theopening 8 is made sufficiently small to be covered by the base of the smallest switch or rosette, then the screw holes 12 will pass under the edgeot the opening when they are adjusted to receive the securing screws of the largest sizes of rosettes and switches. `To adapt the cover iforproperlyl supporting all sizes of switches and rosettes, the' covcris provided veris o used rosettes, the knock-out plates 15 are removed,

`and the openingl 8 is thus enlarged ,so that the securing screws may pass t rough the opening Ainto the holes 12 1n the connecting 130 i for the largest sizes of switches or holes are properly spaced plates When/the e screw holes in the'rosette toregister with t hile I prefer to-employ'the construction and arrangement .of'device shown and described, itwill be understood that theinventhe parts may be out departing from aving explained of the invention, and

varied and modified withthe invent-ion.

the nature and object specifically described one construction in which it maybe ein'- devices forconnecting electric fittings t-lieref connections between the -movable devices for maintaining the devices in cen-,- tering relation as they are adjusted; substan-` necting saidv plates bodied7 What I- claim is l. An outlet box provided with? movable to, .and

tially as described;

2. An outlet box connecting plates devices of electric ittings,'andnieans 'conasdesc'ribed.

nient, substantially 'provided with pivoted 3. .An 'outlet box i connecting plates, and connections between the plates for maintaining them in centering' relation as ythey are adjusted, substantially as described.

4. An outlet box` provide-d-with pivoted i connecting plates, andv a link connecting the plates to move'them in opposite 'di-rectiona substantially asl described..

provided with movable 5 for receiving the securing for. simultaneous adjust# i l l tion is not confined to this construction7 and that the construction and arrangement of adjustable 'connecting plates mounted o n' the .i cov'ei' 'and provided'with holes 'for receiving screws of electric. tti'ngs, '.saidgcover. 'havingai'i opening throughwvhich the conopening; -and knock-out 5. An outlet-box provided vwith adetacl'i- V able: cover, 'I conne'c.ting4 platesy inovably mounted on 'the cover, the plates for simultaneously moving 'them in opposite directions, 'substantially as-described. f

.iiecting plates pivoted and means between f opening, and meansv for connecting the plates 'for simultaneous adj ustmen't'toward or from the center described. 7. Aiioiitl'et boit provided with acover,

necting screwsA 'pass into' the -plates and. 'knoc -out platesfor varying the size of the opening f through the cover,- substa'ntially .as ".described.-

loittings7 substantially 'as described.

In testimony -Whereof'I afix iny ture, in-presence of'two-Witnes'ses'. NORMANMARS I-IALL.

the size of the opening to suitdifferent sizes' signa* j, Witnesses:

- 'ANNIE C. RICHARDSN.

` VN.' D.' MCPHAIL.'

provided with 'a cover of the opening1 substantiallv as 

